Divide and Rule

Excerpts from Confessions of an Old Man

A permanent feudal class

Two major political parties, Democrats and Republicans, have successfully divided the country in recent decades to maintain their rule. They, as part of the Beltway Beast, have split the nation into categories of conservative versus liberal, blue versus red, left versus right, and us versus them. By 2045, the MI Generation will face the country where there will be no single ethnic group in majority. The challenge at that time would be to keep the country united and free of ethnic tensions. Both parties’ leaders promise to unite the country when they are running for election but do everything to keep Americans divided once they get elected. Even though they are considered major parties, they represent a minority of the population, as most Americans identify themselves as independents

Former senator Tom Coburn offered one of the best descriptions of the Beltway Beast, the swamp, or the Establishment:

“Washington is populated with what is essentially a permanent feudal class of media elites, politicians, lobbyists, experts, and staffers, who are inclined to be self-referential and self-reinforcing insiders . . . Most of these people really are delightful, but they are frequently disconnected from the real world. And a surprising number have never had a real job outside of politics.”

However, the late comedian George Carlin described it colorfully:

“That’s all the media and the politicians ever talk about: the things that separate us; the things that make us different from one another. That’s the way the ruling class operates in any society. They try to divide the rest of the people. They keep the lower and the middle classes fighting with each other so that they, the rich, can run off with all the f***ing money.”

Democrats and Republicans, as part of the Beltway Beast, are no different and act like tribes. As far as they are concerned, their parties come first before the country….More